The Leominster City Council voted unanimously to transfer $670,000 from the Park Grant Capital account to the Manusnock Brook project account, the local match for a FEMA award that will fund most of a downtown brook repair.

Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella’s letter to the council said the city has been awarded $5,992,200 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to repair Manusnock Brook alongside Manning Avenue. The mayor’s letter listed the project’s total cost as $6,658,000 and stated the city’s match is $665,800 (about 10%). The council adopted the order by a vote of 9 to 0 and directed that details on construction impacts be returned to the council.

Why it matters: the Manusnock Brook channel and associated culvert have been on the city’s priority list since a bank collapse in 2017 and subsequent flooding in 2023. Councilors said the project has been under development for years with input from local businesses and stakeholders and that the awarded funds will allow major repairs at a relatively low local cost.

Council comments and context

Councilor Pinellin commended the grants writer, Wendy Weeks, for securing the award and said, “This is a fantastic project, and I’m happy to support it.” Councilor Angelini also praised the grant administrator and described the work as a “tremendous betterment to downtown, at very low cost to the city.” Councilor Frida noted multiple meetings with area businesses to minimize parking loss and to refine rerouting during construction.

Funding and related items

The mayor’s communication said the city previously secured Massachusetts Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grants for design and engineering and that the FEMA award was requested in 2022 with a notice to proceed issued in December. The letter also said the transfer for the city match will come from reimbursements of a park grant for a downtown common project and reimbursement of a land grant tied to a Pierce Street property purchase.

What the council asked for next

Councilors requested that the city provide a construction schedule, a parking mitigation plan, and clarity about temporary impacts during work. The council recorded the order’s adoption and directed the DPW and grants staff to report back with timelines and anticipated disruptions during construction.

Ending

The Manusnock Brook repair is slated to move into design and permitting; councilors said they expect further briefings as the city finalizes contracts and the construction schedule.